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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cell — in biology
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. charge — in control
  8. branch — a division
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mark — a trace
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — a price
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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