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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — to protest
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. field — farmland
  9. mug — a face
  10. mate — a friend
  11. capital — money
  12. field — a subject
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. branch — a division
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. capital — a city
  19. mate — to breed
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. field — for sport
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mate — a partner

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