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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. branch — a division
  3. staff — employees
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — what's left
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. toast — bread
  9. staff — employees
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rest — a break
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. staff — a stick
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rest — what's left
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cap — a lid
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cap — of ice

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