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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.

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: object · pit · current · tube · branch · court · bay · lean

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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. current — happening now
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — of water
  5. lean — thin
  6. court — for sport
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pit — in a race
  12. object — to protest
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. current — electric
  15. pit — a hole
  16. court — of law
  17. tube — the underground
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. object — a thing
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. branch — a division
  23. court — of a king
  24. tube — a container

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