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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cap — a lid
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bank — for money
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fine — all right
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fine — high quality
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cap — a hat
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cap — of ice
  24. deal — an agreement

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