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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — a series
  3. charge — in control
  4. branch — a division
  5. root — of a word
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. fall — to drop
  14. game — a match
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. game — wild animals
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. rash — hasty
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bay — a horse colour

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