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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. club — a group
  9. bass — the fish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — a container
  12. branch — a division
  13. bass — low music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. toast — bread
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for golf
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. tube — the underground

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