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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — a division
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. file — a tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. file — a document

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