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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. spell — letters
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. clip — for paper
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. clip — to cut
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a grade
  19. clip — a video
  20. spell — a short time
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. spell — magic
  24. mark — to pay attention

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