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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: clip · fan · cabinet · bay · charge · lie · branch · wave

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — for paper
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — to recline
  16. clip — a video
  17. charge — in control
  18. branch — a division
  19. clip — to cut
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. charge — a price
  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