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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. mate — to breed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mate — a partner
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fine — all right
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. object — an aim
  16. present — the time now
  17. object — to protest
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fine — high quality
  20. present — a gift
  21. object — a thing
  22. present — there
  23. mate — a friend
  24. branch — of a bank

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