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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. branch — a division
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — magic
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chest — a box
  14. deal — to handle
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pop — soda
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. spell — letters
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. spell — a short time

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