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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. last — finally
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. branch — a division
  5. rash — hasty
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bound — certain
  8. rash — a series
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. last — final
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bound — tied together
  15. spring — a coil
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — to go on
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spring — the season
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spring — of water

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