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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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. branch — of a bank
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. net — in sport
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. net — for catching
  8. present — the time now
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. branch — a division
  11. net — after costs
  12. prune — to trim
  13. vault — a safe
  14. content — happy
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. content — the amount
  20. prune — to trim
  21. present — there
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. present — a gift

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