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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. dip — to sink
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — a division
  6. chest — a box
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rest — what's left
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rest — a break
  13. wind — moving air
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chest — of your body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wind — moving air
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. chest — of your body
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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