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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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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. bay — to keep at bay
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — a trail
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — a division
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. capital — a city
  11. object — an aim
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. capital — money
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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