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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.

Make a worksheet

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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. tube — a container
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — in cards
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. perch — the fish
  15. capital — money
  16. mug — to rob
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — a city
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — a division
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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