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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — a division
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. drill — army training
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fall — the season
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fall — to drop
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. branch — of a bank

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