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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. kid — child
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — a tool
  8. firm — a company
  9. kid — to tease
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — happy
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. saw — the tool
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fine — all right
  22. firm — steady
  23. content — the amount
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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