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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bat — the animal
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lean — to bend
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — army training
  11. row — a line
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mug — to rob
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lean — thin
  21. mug — a cup
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — to go away

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