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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. can — a tin
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wax — to grow
  24. jam — a tight spot

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