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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lean — thin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. branch — a division
  17. bass — low music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lean — to bend

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