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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. season — in sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — the most important part
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. game — wild animals
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. season — of the year
  24. game — a match

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