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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · branch · wave · bear · key · cue · bulb · net

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. net — for catching
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — in sport
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. key — in music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cue — for pool

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