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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mate — a partner
  6. club — for golf
  7. pass — a permit
  8. club — a group
  9. mate — to breed
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mug — a cup
  13. club — for dancing
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mate — a friend
  20. branch — a division
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — from crying

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