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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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. branch — of a bank
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. band — a ring
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cue — for pool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. band — a music group
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. branch — a division

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