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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. firm — decided
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. firm — steady
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — a company
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. kick — in football
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bear — the animal
  23. toast — bread
  24. craft — boats

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