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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: snap · squash · branch · bulb · bay · lie · bank · wave

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to click
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bank — for money
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. branch — a division
  21. lie — to recline
  22. squash — to crush
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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