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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pop — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — to fit
  11. board — a committee
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bark — to shout
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wound — an injury
  23. board — to get on
  24. saw — the tool

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