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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rest — a break
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. branch — a division
  12. row — to paddle
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stock — goods
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — shares
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. row — a line

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