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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — a company
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. firm — steady
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — decided
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — hasty
  13. branch — a division
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cell — in biology
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. rash — a series

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