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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. pop — to visit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pop — soda
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — clothes
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pop — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — to sink
  15. foot — a measure
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. present — there
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rock — music
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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