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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. net — after costs
  3. mug — a face
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mate — a friend
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. net — in sport
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rush — hurry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. branch — a division
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. net — for catching
  16. key — the most important part
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mug — a cup

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