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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. branch — a division
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bear — the animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stock — shares
  17. rule — a law
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rule — government
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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