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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: bay · ball · fall · toast · firm · hide · branch · wind

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wind — moving air
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a dance
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. branch — a division
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. firm — decided
  20. toast — bread
  21. firm — steady
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. firm — a company

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