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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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 bank
  3. mug — a cup
  4. spring — of water
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — to bear
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. drill — army training
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. staff — employees
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bear — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mug — a face
  24. rock — music

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