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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. court — of a king
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mate — a partner
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rash — a series
  13. mate — to breed
  14. court — of law
  15. court — for sport
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. branch — a division
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. leaves — to go away

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