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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pit — a hole
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. branch — a division
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. nail — on a finger

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