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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. branch — a division
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rule — government
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fine — high quality
  12. track — a song
  13. rush — hurry
  14. track — a path
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. fine — all right
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rule — a law

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