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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tube — a container
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rock — a stone
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. season — of the year
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — in cards
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. branch — a division
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. season — in sport
  24. content — happy

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