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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — a division
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — a group
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rash — a series
  10. club — for golf
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wake — a trail
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. object — to protest
  23. branch — of a bank
  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