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

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — to recline
  7. sharp — clever
  8. swing — to play on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. swing — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mark — a grade
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. branch — a division
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — a loud noise

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