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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. snap — to click
  15. land — ground
  16. ball — a great time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. land — to come down
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bound — certain
  24. land — a country

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