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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. swing — music
  3. rock — music
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — moving air
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — a hole
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — steady
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rock — to move gently

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