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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. snap — to click
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — a company
  16. net — in sport
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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