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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — to visit
  8. branch — a division
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pop — music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pop — soda
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mate — a friend
  24. tear — from crying

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