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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: pitcher · branch · kid · last · fine · suit · pit · chip

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. branch — a division
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — in cards
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chip — to eat
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — clothes
  18. last — finally
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pit — a hole
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. kid — child

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