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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. season — of the year
  6. rock — music
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. season — in sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. land — to come down
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. land — a country
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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