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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spell — letters
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fork — in a road
  9. spell — magic
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — all right
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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