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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — in cards
  6. race — a contest
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. race — humankind
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kid — child
  13. rash — hasty
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. kid — to tease
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rash — a series
  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