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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. can — a tin
  3. cap — a lid
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. branch — a division
  8. can — to be able to
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. season — in sport
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — a hat
  15. track — a path
  16. cap — of ice
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. season — of the year

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