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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pass — a permit
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — a measure
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — the underground
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. branch — a division
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. tear — from crying

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