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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a music group
  3. chair — a leader
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — high quality
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mark — a grade
  9. suit — to fit
  10. band — a ring
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — all right
  24. deal — to handle

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