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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ground — the earth
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. pit — in a race
  24. charge — a price

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