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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. branch — a division
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. tube — a container
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. row — a line
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. toast — bread
  24. object — to protest

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