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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. snap — to click
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — of a tree

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