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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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. track — a path
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rock — a stone
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. season — of the year
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a song
  18. season — in sport
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — in a race

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