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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. court — for sport
  3. branch — a division
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. court — of law
  7. file — a document
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. court — of a king
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. file — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pass — a permit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. key — in music
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. key — the most important part

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