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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mate — a friend
  5. roll — a list
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. key — for a lock
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — in music
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — animal skin

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