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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. net — for catching
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — in golf
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lie — to recline
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. branch — a division
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. march — music
  19. swing — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. march — the month
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. net — after costs
  24. lie — an untruth

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