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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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 — completely
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. march — the month
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — boats
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. march — music
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — soda
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pop — to visit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. march — the month

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