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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — a path
  7. bark — to shout
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. suit — to fit
  12. track — a song
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — a division
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — clothes

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