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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bound — certain
  3. roll — a cake
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — a division
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. toast — bread
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. kick — in football
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pop — to visit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. roll — a list
  21. pop — soda
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pop — music
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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