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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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468
Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cell — a phone
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cell — in biology
  20. branch — a division
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a trace
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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