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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pop — music
  3. land — ground
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. plane — a tool
  7. kid — child
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — in music
  10. pop — soda
  11. key — for a lock
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. firm — a company
  15. land — to come down
  16. key — the most important part
  17. branch — a division
  18. kid — to tease
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pop — to visit
  21. land — a country
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. can — a tin
  24. plane — in geometry

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