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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. chip — to eat
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pit — in a race
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pit — a hole
  17. suit — in cards
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — electric
  24. field — farmland

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