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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pit — in a race
  4. drill — a practice
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. drill — army training
  7. firm — steady
  8. drill — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. root — the cause
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. branch — of a tree

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