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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. branch — a division
  6. club — a group
  7. craft — a skill
  8. season — in sport
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bound — certain
  11. club — for golf
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — for dancing
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pound — a weight
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. craft — boats
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mouse — 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