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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. craft — boats
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a dance
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. land — a country
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — ground
  17. charge — a price
  18. land — to come down
  19. charge — electricity
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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