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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cap — a lid
  3. court — for sport
  4. present — the time now
  5. cap — of ice
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. court — of law
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — of a king
  11. present — there
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. present — a gift
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — a hat
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. calf — a young animal

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