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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 124 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. saw — the tool
  3. drill — the tool
  4. firm — a company
  5. tube — the underground
  6. branch — a division
  7. firm — steady
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. drill — a practice
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — decided

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