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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chip — for betting
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — letters
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. branch — a division
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — a short time

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