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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: net · fan · branch · firm · object · game · can · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. branch — a division
  3. object — a thing
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — for catching
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — to protest
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. net — in sport
  12. game — a match
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — a company
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. firm — steady
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — after costs
  20. firm — decided
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. object — an aim
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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