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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bound — certain
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pit — in a race
  11. court — of a king
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. court — of law
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. court — for sport
  20. branch — a division
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rest — a break
  24. rash — a series

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