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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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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 · jam · craft · hide · pit · capital · stand

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — boats
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. branch — a division
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. capital — a city
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — money
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. branch — of a bank

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