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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pass — a permit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. branch — a division
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pit — a hole
  23. kick — in football
  24. mouse — for a computer

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