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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bank — for money
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. roll — a list
  15. bark — to shout
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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