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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fall — the season
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. spell — a short time
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. branch — a division
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. spell — letters
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chair — a leader
  24. hide — to keep secret

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