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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fork — in a road
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. branch — a division
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. clip — a video
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fork — a garden tool

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