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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. branch — a division
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — for digging
  6. squash — the sport
  7. cue — a hint
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a list
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mine — an explosive

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