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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. cold — an illness
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cold — not warm
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. swing — music
  12. cap — a lid
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pit — a hole
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. sharp — clever
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pass — a permit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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