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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 124 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pit — a hole
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mark — a grade
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — a position
  15. club — for golf
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — crushed
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pit — in a race
  20. club — a group
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bank — of a river

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