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

Word bank: rule · rock · last · coach · pit · branch · fan · sharp

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. last — final
  12. last — finally
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — a hole
  15. branch — a division
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — to go on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. branch — of a tree

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