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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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 tree
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cell — a phone
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. key — in music
  7. rest — a break
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rest — what's left
  10. row — a line
  11. branch — a division
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. leaves — to go away
  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