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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. craft — boats
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. club — a group
  8. content — the amount
  9. branch — a division
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. content — happy
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. club — for golf
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bear — to put up with

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