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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. march — music
  6. current — happening now
  7. ground — a position
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. date — the fruit
  10. current — of water
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rock — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ground — the earth
  17. march — the month
  18. branch — a division
  19. rock — a stone
  20. current — electric
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rule — government
  23. march — the month
  24. rule — a law

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