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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — high quality
  4. drill — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. branch — a division
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. court — for sport
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. drill — army training
  14. can — to be able to
  15. drill — a practice
  16. court — of law
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. court — of a king

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