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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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. object — a thing
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rash — a series
  11. kick — in football
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. object — an aim
  15. rash — hasty
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. object — to protest
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. saw — the tool

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