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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 120 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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. clip — a video
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mine — for digging
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — for paper
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — a division
  12. fall — the season
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — a container
  21. clip — to cut
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rush — to hurry

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