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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bark — to shout
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. charge — in control
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — a division
  8. season — of the year
  9. board — to get on
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ball — a dance
  22. board — a committee
  23. season — in sport
  24. ball — a round shape

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