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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. present — a gift
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pit — in a race
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. present — there
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mine — for digging
  20. present — the time now
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ball — a great time
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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