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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of a king
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — a division
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — to confront
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. branch — of a bank

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