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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cap — a hat
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cold — not warm
  10. capital — a city
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. capital — money
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. ground — the earth
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. calf — of the leg

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