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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cue — a signal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pass — a permit

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