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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pop — soda
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — a permit
  9. file — a document
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. file — a tool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. file — a line of people

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