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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — a division
  14. cue — a hint
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lean — to bend
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — in geometry

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