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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. craft — a skill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. craft — boats
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — a friend
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. capital — a city
  16. mark — a trace
  17. branch — a division
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — the underground
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mark — to pay attention

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