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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · rule · branch · cue · pass · snap · mate · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. bulb — for light
  2. firm — a company
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rule — government
  6. firm — decided
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bulb — for light
  9. snap — to click
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — steady
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. branch — a division
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mate — a friend
  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