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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. lean — thin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — high quality
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. cell — a phone
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. board — a committee
  15. toast — bread
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — all right
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tube — a container
  21. cell — in biology
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — the most admired
  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