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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. file — a line of people
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — a short time
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spell — letters
  24. rock — music

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