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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rest — a break
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pop — soda
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. cap — of ice
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fall — to drop
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fall — the season

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