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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. march — the month
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pit — a hole
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bound — tied together
  10. craft — boats
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bound — certain
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pit — in a race
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bound — obliged
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. branch — a division
  23. squash — to crush
  24. branch — of a bank

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