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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — of a river
  4. toast — bread
  5. branch — a division
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — to protest
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. firm — decided
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. object — a thing
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bank — for money

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