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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — in music
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bass — low music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. can — to be able to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — the fish

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