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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. branch — a division
  9. march — the month
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pop — soda
  18. march — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pop — music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. march — the month
  24. plane — an aircraft

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