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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. hand — in cards
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bound — obliged
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bound — certain
  11. mug — a cup
  12. branch — a division
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mug — to rob
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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