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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. club — a group
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. cap — a hat
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wound — an injury
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cap — of ice
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cap — a lid
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pit — in a race
  24. coach — a trainer

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