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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. branch — a division
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rule — government
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rule — a law
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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