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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pit — in a race
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fine — high quality
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a great time
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. drill — army training
  20. ball — a dance
  21. drill — the tool
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. drill — a practice

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