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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bank — for money
  10. scale — in music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — letters
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — a division
  23. dip — to sink
  24. lean — to bend

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