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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — ground
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. branch — a division
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — the tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bound — obliged

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