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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 120 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — in sport
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. season — of the year
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — a permit
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. branch — a division
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pound — a weight
  24. season — to add flavour

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