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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. branch — a division
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pop — music
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. object — a thing
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pop — soda

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