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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pit — in a race
  9. object — to protest
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rock — music
  14. object — an aim
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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