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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. squash — to crush
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. plane — a tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. date — the fruit
  14. lean — thin
  15. craft — boats
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lean — to bend
  23. branch — a division
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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