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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. deal — to handle
  3. squash — to crush
  4. branch — a division
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cue — for pool
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. branch — of a bank

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