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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. present — a gift
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — there
  19. wake — a trail
  20. spell — a short time
  21. branch — a division
  22. present — the time now
  23. chest — a box
  24. bay — a horse colour

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