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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rest — a break
  4. branch — a division
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bound — certain
  9. shower — rain
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. net — for catching
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. net — in sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. net — after costs
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — what's left
  21. shower — to wash
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bowl — to roll

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