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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. suit — to fit
  6. club — for golf
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rash — a series
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mate — a friend
  20. club — for dancing
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. club — a group
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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