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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. present — there
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. present — the time now
  21. tube — the underground
  22. lie — to recline
  23. branch — a division
  24. bowl — a dish

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