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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cell — in biology
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — a stick
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. branch — a division
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mug — a cup
  12. staff — employees
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. club — for golf
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mug — a face
  23. shower — rain
  24. branch — of a bank

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