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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stock — shares
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stock — goods
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a hat
  24. branch — a division

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