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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fine — high quality
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to click
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bear — the animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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