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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · bulb · capital · fine · saw · mate

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fine — all right
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. saw — the tool
  13. capital — money
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — a division
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. capital — a city

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