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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — low music
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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