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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. sharp — clever
  5. branch — a division
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. board — to get on
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mug — to rob
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mug — a face
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. chair — a professorship

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