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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — in sport
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. branch — a division
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. mate — a partner
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. bank — of a river
  15. season — of the year
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cold — not warm
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. firm — a company
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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