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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bound — certain
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. branch — a division
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rash — a series
  17. snap — to click
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bound — obliged
  21. present — there
  22. rash — hasty
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rash — on the skin

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