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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · present · scale · game · lean · kid · rock · branch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. present — a gift
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. game — wild animals
  9. kid — to tease
  10. suit — clothes
  11. present — the time now
  12. game — a match
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rock — a stone
  19. kid — child
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rock — music
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — to move gently

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