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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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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: can · rush · bay · wave · object · tear · branch · pit

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. object — a thing
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pit — a hole
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. can — a tin
  20. object — to protest
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — an aim
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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