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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. file — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. file — a document
  14. stock — goods
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. perch — the fish
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — in music
  24. branch — a division

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