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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rest — a break
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. last — finally
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. craft — a skill
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. last — final
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. last — to go on
  24. branch — 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