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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. season — of the year
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. season — in sport
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mate — to breed
  17. game — a match
  18. mate — a friend
  19. branch — a division
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rash — hasty

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