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

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. spell — a short time
  3. staff — employees
  4. last — finally
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. last — final
  7. mug — a face
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — employees
  12. branch — a division
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spell — magic
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. staff — a stick
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — to shout
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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