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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. hand — help
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. branch — a division
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — a thrill

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