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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — a partner
  3. tube — the underground
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pop — soda
  8. present — the time now
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rest — a break
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pop — music
  21. present — a gift
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — a container
  24. present — there

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