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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. field — a subject
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — clothes
  13. field — farmland
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. branch — a division
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — high quality
  22. field — for sport
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. branch — of a tree

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