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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cap — a hat
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — a container
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pop — music

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