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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fine — high quality
  4. file — a document
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pit — a hole
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. drill — the tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  24. wind — to turn a key

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