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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ground — a position
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. branch — a division
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fine — all right
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — high quality

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