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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. court — of a king
  4. mug — a cup
  5. court — of law
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mug — to rob
  8. face — part of the head
  9. court — for sport
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to confront
  14. branch — a division
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — to eat
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mug — a face
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. spell — letters

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