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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spring — the season
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rush — hurry
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — a horse colour

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