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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stock — shares
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a music group
  20. rock — music
  21. band — a ring
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — a stone

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