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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cell — a phone
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bound — tied together
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bound — certain
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. branch — a division

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