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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. wound — an injury
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. season — in sport
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cap — a lid
  19. tube — the underground
  20. season — of the year
  21. cap — a hat
  22. tube — a container
  23. wound — an injury
  24. foot — a measure

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