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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — a stone
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. spring — of water
  7. rest — a break
  8. scale — in music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — a coil
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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