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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. staff — employees
  4. can — a tin
  5. mug — a cup
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. present — the time now
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wound — an injury
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — to be able to
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mug — to rob
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mug — a face
  18. row — to paddle
  19. wound — an injury
  20. row — a line
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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