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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — all right
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. drill — army training
  12. key — the most important part
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bank — of a river
  17. foot — a measure
  18. branch — a division
  19. key — for a lock
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bank — for money

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