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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. court — of law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. court — for sport
  7. cue — a hint
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bore — to drill
  11. court — of a king
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. key — in music
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — clever
  23. suit — in cards
  24. key — for a lock

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