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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fine — all right
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mate — a friend
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rule — government
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. file — a document
  17. mug — a face
  18. fine — high quality
  19. branch — a division
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com