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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spring — of water
  6. wind — moving air
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. branch — a division
  13. suit — in cards
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fine — all right
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — to fit

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