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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. branch — a division
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ground — the earth
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — crushed
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. club — for golf
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. club — a group

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