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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — steady
  4. branch — a division
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wound — an injury
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. firm — a company
  11. content — happy
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rock — a stone
  14. content — the amount
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pit — a hole
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — decided
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pass — a permit

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