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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. branch — a division
  14. snap — to click
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stock — shares
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bear — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stock — goods
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — the animal

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