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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. spell — letters
  7. file — a document
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — magic
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. spell — a short time
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fan — a supporter

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