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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mate — a friend
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mate — a partner
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — a container
  14. rock — a stone
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — the underground
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — a division
  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