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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cell — in biology
  4. branch — a division
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. firm — decided
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — steady
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. file — a document
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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