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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. swing — to play on
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. date — on the calendar

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