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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cue — for pool
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. game — wild animals
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. branch — a division
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. game — a match

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