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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pit — a hole
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. charge — a price
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — in control
  12. branch — a division
  13. bass — low music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. file — a tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mark — a trace
  23. file — a document
  24. mark — to pay attention

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