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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lean — thin
  3. branch — a division
  4. present — there
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. present — a gift
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. present — the time now
  11. lean — to bend
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — completely
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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