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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. branch — a division
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. shower — to wash
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. shower — rain
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — a path
  18. degree — from a university
  19. track — a song
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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