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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. key — in music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. swing — music
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — for money
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cell — a phone
  20. swing — to play on
  21. branch — a division
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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