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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 124 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
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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: cabinet · cap · mate · branch · current · row · roll · bay

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. row — a line
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — of water
  7. roll — a list
  8. current — happening now
  9. cap — a lid
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. branch — a division
  15. current — electric
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — to paddle

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