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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. court — of a king
  6. present — a gift
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bank — of a river
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. present — there
  19. court — for sport
  20. present — the time now
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fall — the season
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — an explosive

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