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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — in music
  3. object — a thing
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. scale — size or range
  8. object — to protest
  9. pound — a weight
  10. branch — a division
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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