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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. capital — a city
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. capital — money
  7. tube — the underground
  8. can — a tin
  9. land — to come down
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. tube — a container
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — ground
  14. can — a tin
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. craft — boats
  17. land — a country
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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