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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 124 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wound — an injury
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wake — a trail
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. squash — the sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a football final

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