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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chest — of your body
  6. present — a gift
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chest — a box
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. present — the time now
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. branch — a division
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — clothes
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. chest — of your body
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. snap — to click

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