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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. file — a line of people
  5. saw — the tool
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. firm — decided
  13. file — a document
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. branch — a division
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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