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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: ball · saw · branch · cabinet · stand · rule · bowl · arm

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a great time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rule — government
  17. stand — to bear
  18. saw — the tool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rule — a law

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