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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bat — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rock — music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. track — a song
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rush — hurry
  22. craft — boats
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rock — to move gently

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