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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. net — for catching
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bark — to shout
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bound — certain
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bank — for money
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. rest — a break
  24. bound — obliged

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