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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. season — of the year
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. root — the cause
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. root — of a word
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. staff — employees
  18. season — in sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. chair — a leader
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. 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