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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: branch · mug · net · mark · shower · bay · band · bound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bound — tied together
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. shower — rain
  7. branch — a division
  8. mug — a face
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mug — to rob
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. band — a ring
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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