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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. saw — the tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fan — a supporter

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