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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. present — the time now
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. spring — of water
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. present — there
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. plane — a tool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. present — a gift
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitch — completely

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