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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ground — crushed
  7. current — electric
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — of water
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bound — obliged
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bound — certain
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — a division
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bound — tied together

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