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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mug — a cup
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. branch — a division
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mug — a face

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