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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bound — certain
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — in sport
  16. branch — a division
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bound — obliged
  20. season — of the year
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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