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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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pit — in a race
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bass — low music
  11. craft — boats
  12. last — final
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stock — goods
  15. pit — a hole
  16. object — an aim
  17. last — finally
  18. stock — shares
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. object — to protest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. last — to go on
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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