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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · cell · bank · wound · perch · cap · bay · branch

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cap — a lid
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bank — of a river
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — a division
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bank — for money
  17. cell — a phone
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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