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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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. court — for sport
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rock — a stone
  6. court — of a king
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. board — to get on
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — soda
  16. rock — music
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. court — of law
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — out of danger

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