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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wake — a trail
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. band — a ring
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a music group
  17. charge — in control
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. branch — of a bank

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