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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — low music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kid — child
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a dance
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stock — shares

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