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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cold — not warm
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cold — an illness
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pop — to visit
  20. firm — decided
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — a break
  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