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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 124 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. march — the month
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. dip — to sink
  17. march — the month
  18. roll — a list
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. march — music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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