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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — the animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. band — a music group
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. band — a ring
  10. file — a line of people
  11. branch — a division
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — the animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a rubber band

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