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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — in sport
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — to handle
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division

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