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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rash — hasty
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rash — a series
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hand — help
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pitch — completely

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