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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — a division
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. saw — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. game — a match
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. game — wild animals

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