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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.

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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. branch — a division
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — a group
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — of the year
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — a grade
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rock — music
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — a stone
  20. club — for dancing
  21. saw — the tool
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mark — to pay attention

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