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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. firm — steady
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. firm — a company
  11. land — a country
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bark — to shout
  19. firm — decided
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. land — ground
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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