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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wake — a trail
  3. branch — a division
  4. bound — obliged
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bound — certain
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. deal — to handle
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bound — tied together
  24. root — of a word

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