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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bound · pit · bear · key · season · wind · calf

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wind — moving air
  3. key — in music
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bound — certain
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. season — of the year
  24. bear — to put up with

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