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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. swing — music
  4. key — in music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bear — the animal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bat — the animal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bank — of a river

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