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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. game — a match
  7. bound — certain
  8. ground — crushed
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — a division
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ground — the earth
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. firm — decided
  21. ground — a position
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. firm — steady
  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