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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. branch — a division
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fall — to drop
  12. race — a contest
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fall — the season
  16. bound — certain
  17. race — humankind
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  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