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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. branch — a division
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — for catching
  19. snap — to click
  20. net — in sport
  21. bass — low music
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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