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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fork — in a road
  13. branch — a division
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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