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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. court — of a king
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. court — for sport
  22. rash — a series
  23. fine — high quality
  24. court — of law

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