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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 116 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rule — a law
  3. can — a tin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. branch — a division
  12. row — a line
  13. rock — music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rule — government
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. row — to paddle
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. scale — in music
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. scale — size or range

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