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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.

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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. saw — the tool
  3. toast — bread
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a document
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. file — a line of people
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. file — a tool
  18. branch — a division

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