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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — a gift
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fine — all right
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — there
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. present — the time now

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