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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 · scale · bowl · bear · wind · bay · race · rock

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. race — humankind
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wind — moving air
  6. branch — a division
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. scale — in music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. race — a contest
  24. wind — moving 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