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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. court — for sport
  12. lean — to bend
  13. court — of law
  14. branch — a division
  15. rush — hurry
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spell — letters
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bound — certain
  23. lean — thin
  24. court — of a king

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