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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. march — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — the month
  6. saw — the tool
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. board — a committee
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. land — ground
  13. scale — size or range
  14. saw — the tool
  15. land — to come down
  16. lean — to bend
  17. land — a country
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. march — the month
  22. board — to get on
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. branch — of a bank

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