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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. scale — in music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. game — a match
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. branch — a division
  12. chest — a box
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. scale — size or range
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. game — a kind of play

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