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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wind — moving air
  13. branch — a division
  14. file — a document
  15. band — a ring
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. band — a music group
  24. bore — to drill

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