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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.

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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 · branch · fan · bowl · kid · cell · lie · fork

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. kid — child
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. cell — a phone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — to recline
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bowl — to roll

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