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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: date · arm · can · branch · hand · cabinet · mate · bowl

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mate — to breed
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. date — the fruit

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