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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. squash — to crush
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kick — in football
  12. season — in sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. season — of the year
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ball — a great time
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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