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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. object — to protest
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — goods
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. branch — a division
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stock — shares
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. wave — of the sea

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