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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mug — to rob
  3. chest — a box
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mug — a cup
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to click
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — a division
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — in cards
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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