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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. staff — employees
  9. branch — a division
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — moving air

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