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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spring — of water
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — a division
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pass — to succeed

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