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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. branch — a division
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. season — in sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. can — to be able to
  11. race — humankind
  12. season — of the year
  13. race — a contest
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — to put up with

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