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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. content — the amount
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bark — to shout
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cap — of ice
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pound — a weight
  21. content — happy
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mate — to breed

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