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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: bay · mine · squash · branch · ball · capital · wave · cabinet

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — to crush
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. capital — money
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ball — a great time
  21. branch — a division
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. squash — the vegetable

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