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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — a division
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. swing — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pop — music
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cell — in biology

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