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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mate — to breed
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mate — a partner
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rush — hurry
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. deal — an agreement

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