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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mate — to breed
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. craft — boats
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. branch — a division
  17. mate — a partner
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wake — a trail

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