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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mark — a grade
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. branch — a division
  24. craft — boats

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