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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. club — a group
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chair — a leader
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. branch — a division
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chair — a professorship

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