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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — a division
  9. spring — of water
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — tied together
  15. object — a thing
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. can — a tin

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