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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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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 · stand · cap · branch · club · hand · perch · fine

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hand — in cards
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — high quality
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — of ice
  9. hand — help
  10. cap — a hat
  11. club — for golf
  12. stand — to bear
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. club — a group
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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