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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. net — for catching
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bank — of a river
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stem — to come from
  15. net — in sport
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. net — after costs
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. sharp — clever

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