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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 116 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — completely
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. suit — in cards
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — a division
  10. wax — to grow
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. capital — money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. capital — a city
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — of a bank

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