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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.

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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: clip · toast · bay · racket · wake · cabinet · branch · net

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wake — a trail
  4. net — after costs
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. net — in sport
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. branch — a division
  9. toast — bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. net — for catching
  13. clip — for paper
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. clip — a video
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. racket — for tennis
  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