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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. land — ground
  6. craft — a skill
  7. land — to come down
  8. season — of the year
  9. branch — a division
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. land — a country
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — on a finger

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