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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — soda
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. branch — a division
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pop — music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. roll — a cake

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