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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — a hole
  3. key — in music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rock — music
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. key — for a lock
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rock — a stone

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