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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. scale — in music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mate — a friend
  7. scale — size or range
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — a division
  10. staff — a stick
  11. swing — to play on
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. staff — employees
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. swing — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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