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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. file — a tool
  3. squash — to crush
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. lean — to bend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — a series
  18. lean — thin
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rash — hasty
  24. board — a committee

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