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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 116 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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. court — for sport
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. spell — a short time
  9. branch — a division
  10. spell — magic
  11. rest — a break
  12. court — of a king
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. scale — in music
  15. court — of law
  16. pass — a permit
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — letters
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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