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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bound — certain
  3. present — there
  4. bound — tied together
  5. firm — decided
  6. stock — shares
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. firm — steady
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — goods
  24. calf — a young animal

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