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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.

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: branch · hide · season · bay · kick · bulb · suit · clip

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. clip — for paper
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. clip — a video
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — of the year
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. suit — to fit
  16. season — in sport
  17. kick — in football
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — a division
  24. bulb — of a plant

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