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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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 — to keep at bay
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. scale — in music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — to bear
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. plane — in geometry
  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