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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chair — a leader
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — in a race
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. current — electric
  14. net — for catching
  15. rest — a break
  16. stand — to bear
  17. current — of water
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — happening now
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rest — what's left

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