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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. present — there
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lean — to bend
  6. branch — a division
  7. game — a match
  8. race — a contest
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. present — the time now
  15. game — wild animals
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lean — thin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. race — humankind
  24. perch — for a bird

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