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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. swing — to play on
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cell — a phone
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cap — of ice
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cell — in biology
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. swing — music
  21. branch — a division
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — of a tree

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