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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — of ice
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stock — shares
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cap — a hat
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — a division
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bay — a part 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