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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. branch — a division
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. tear — to rip
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. drill — a practice
  18. ball — a dance
  19. staff — a stick
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a great time
  24. staff — employees

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