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

Word bank: board · stick · spring · branch · clip · deal · pass · pit

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pass — a permit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pit — a hole
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spring — the season
  16. pit — in a race
  17. clip — for paper
  18. branch — a division
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. board — to get on
  21. spring — of water
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. clip — a video
  24. board — a committee

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