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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 124 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. branch — a division
  24. bark — 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