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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. capital — money
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rest — a break
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. capital — a city
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. court — for sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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