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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. net — for catching
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lean — thin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. capital — money
  8. branch — a division
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cap — a lid
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cap — a hat
  18. roll — a list
  19. net — in sport
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lean — to bend

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