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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. swing — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. toast — bread
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. branch — a division
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pit — a hole
  14. present — the time now
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. band — a music group
  18. pass — a permit
  19. present — a gift
  20. band — a ring
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. toast — the most admired

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