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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. content — the amount
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bank — for money
  15. staff — employees
  16. branch — a division
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. content — happy
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. tear — to rip
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tear — from crying
  24. staff — employees

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