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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. branch — a division
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — to tire
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stock — shares
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cue — a signal

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