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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spell — magic
  4. last — finally
  5. band — a music group
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. saw — the tool
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. band — a ring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — high quality
  15. last — to go on
  16. spell — a short time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — final
  20. spring — of water
  21. branch — a division
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. spell — letters
  24. fine — all right

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