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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fall — the season
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bound — certain
  10. mug — a cup
  11. branch — a division
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. capital — a city
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. can — a tin
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bound — obliged

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