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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — in a race
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mine — for digging
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. saw — the tool
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — a hole
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. net — in sport
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. net — for catching
  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