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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — of law
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. court — for sport
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of a king
  22. cell — in biology
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. leaves — lets stay

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