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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cold — not warm
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cue — for pool

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