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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spring — the season
  6. band — a music group
  7. branch — a division
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a cup
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a dance
  18. band — a ring
  19. spring — of water
  20. mug — a face
  21. spring — a coil
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mug — to rob

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