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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bass — low music
  12. pit — in a race
  13. branch — a division
  14. object — to protest
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. roll — a cake
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. object — a thing
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pit — a hole
  21. roll — a list
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a friend
  24. object — an aim

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