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

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fine — high quality
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spell — magic
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rock — music
  13. kid — child
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — all right
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spell — letters
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mug — a face
  24. fine — a penalty

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