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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mark — a trace
  5. present — the time now
  6. branch — a division
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bank — for money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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