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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. scale — in music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — a division
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pit — a hole
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. squash — to crush
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a great time

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