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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — boats
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to click
  15. deal — to handle
  16. branch — a division
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. craft — a skill
  20. track — a song
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — a leader
  24. track — a path

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