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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to sink
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. can — to be able to
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. suit — in cards
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bound — tied together
  20. suit — clothes
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — certain
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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