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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rule — a law
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. swing — in golf
  11. branch — a division
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — to tire
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pit — in a race
  22. suit — clothes
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bore — to drill

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