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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — a friend
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. root — of a word
  7. branch — a division
  8. root — the cause
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mate — a partner
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. vault — a safe

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