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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. branch — a division
  3. chair — a leader
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. deal — to handle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rash — hasty
  8. season — in sport
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. suit — to fit
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — clothes
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rash — a series
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rash — on the skin

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