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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cue — a signal
  3. file — a tool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. file — a document
  6. mug — to rob
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. perch — the fish
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — a face
  14. face — part of the head
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — for pool
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pass — a permit
  21. face — to confront
  22. file — a line of people
  23. branch — a division
  24. perch — for a bird

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