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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — the most important part
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — in music
  10. race — a contest
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. root — of a word
  19. ball — a great time
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. race — the arms race
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. key — for a lock
  24. branch — of a tree

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