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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — to protest
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — the amount
  8. key — for a lock
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — the most important part
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. object — a thing
  16. key — in music
  17. bark — to shout
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. object — an aim
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. branch — a division
  23. rock — music
  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