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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bear — the animal
  3. game — a match
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. content — the amount
  18. saw — the tool
  19. content — happy
  20. saw — the tool
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. game — a kind of play

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