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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. pitch — completely
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pop — to visit
  10. branch — a division
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to click
  14. craft — boats
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pop — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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