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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. race — the arms race
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. fall — to drop
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. tube — a container
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. race — humankind
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fall — to drop
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fall — the season
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. race — a contest
  24. rock — music

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