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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. row — a line
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pop — to visit
  9. branch — a division
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. swing — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pop — music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. swing — in golf
  23. press — to push
  24. spring — the season

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