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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. staff — a stick
  3. scale — size or range
  4. club — a group
  5. land — ground
  6. club — for golf
  7. land — a country
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. rush — hurry
  13. club — for dancing
  14. scale — in music
  15. land — to come down
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — a division
  24. rush — a thrill

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