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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pop — soda
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. court — of a king
  9. pit — in a race
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pit — a hole
  18. object — to protest
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pop — to visit
  24. chair — a leader

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