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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. branch — of a tree

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