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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mug — a face
  15. squash — the sport
  16. branch — a division
  17. stock — goods
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stock — shares
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pit — a hole
  24. squash — the vegetable

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