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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ground — the earth
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — to get on
  14. pass — a permit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ground — a position
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. branch — a division
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — a committee
  24. ground — crushed

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