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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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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: can · saw · court · branch · object · rock · spell · net

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spell — magic
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. court — of a king
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. saw — the tool
  9. court — for sport
  10. rock — music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — a thing
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. net — after costs
  22. object — to protest
  23. court — of law
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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