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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rest — what's left
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. field — farmland
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rock — a stone
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. branch — a division
  12. rest — what's left
  13. field — a subject
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — magic
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rest — a break
  18. field — for sport
  19. rock — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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