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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. season — of the year
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bass — low music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — a thing
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. object — to protest
  10. season — in sport
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rest — a break
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. pit — a hole
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — an aim

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