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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bat — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fine — all right
  6. press — to push
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. branch — a division
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bank — for money
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bank — for money
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — to bend
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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