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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fall — the season
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. track — a path
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. chip — for betting
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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