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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — the time now
  5. file — a document
  6. cue — a signal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. file — a line of people
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. branch — a division
  12. file — a tool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. cue — a hint
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. present — a gift
  21. deal — to handle
  22. season — of the year
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. season — in sport

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