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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitch — completely
  6. drill — army training
  7. branch — a division
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spell — magic
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — letters
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spell — a short time
  24. coach — a trainer

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