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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. net — in sport
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. branch — a division
  10. sharp — clever
  11. craft — boats
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ground — crushed
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ground — a position
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — a skill

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