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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cold — an illness
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — a division
  13. suit — clothes
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. suit — in cards
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. cold — not warm

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