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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rash — a series
  14. rock — a stone
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rock — music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wake — a trail
  23. branch — a division
  24. mouse — for a computer

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