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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. suit — clothes
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. drill — the tool
  11. hand — help
  12. object — an aim
  13. drill — army training
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. object — to protest
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hand — in cards
  23. branch — a division
  24. bat — the animal

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