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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — decided
  7. branch — a division
  8. present — the time now
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. chest — of your body
  12. firm — steady
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mate — to breed

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