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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. row — a line
  8. rock — music
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. row — to paddle
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. branch — a division

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