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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. swing — to play on
  3. branch — a division
  4. swing — in golf
  5. game — a match
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — all right
  8. charge — a price
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stand — to bear
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — in a race
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. game — wild animals
  19. fine — high quality
  20. swing — music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pit — a hole

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