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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mate — to breed
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. branch — a division
  13. rash — a series
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rock — music
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rash — hasty
  23. shower — rain
  24. mate — a friend

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