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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. object — an aim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — in a race
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rest — what's left
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — a break
  23. branch — a division
  24. lean — thin

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