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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a word
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bass — low music
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bound — certain
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — a division
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bank — for money
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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