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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. scale — size or range
  3. court — of law
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. court — of a king
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. firm — steady
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. firm — a company
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bass — low music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. court — for sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bass — the fish
  23. firm — decided
  24. trunk — of a tree

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