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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: ground · present · dip · key · pass · branch · ruler · mate

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. key — in music
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — there
  7. dip — to sink
  8. branch — a division
  9. ground — a position
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — the time now
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ground — the earth
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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