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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a dance
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bat — the animal
  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