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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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. court — of a king
  9. mug — to rob
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mug — a face
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — a monarch

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