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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. suit — clothes
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — in music
  9. chest — a box
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. land — ground
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chest — of your body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. key — the most important part
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. chest — of your body
  23. key — for a lock
  24. scale — in music

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