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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mark — a grade
  3. band — a music group
  4. lie — to recline
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. saw — the tool
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — a division
  16. band — a ring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — to fit
  20. season — of the year
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — clothes

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