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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. can — to be able to
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. can — a tin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — clever
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. perch — the fish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — a hole

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