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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. bat — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. craft — boats
  14. fine — high quality
  15. branch — a division
  16. scale — in music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bank — of a river

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