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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bank — for money
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. branch — a division
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. current — electric
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. current — of water
  17. vault — a safe
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. current — happening now
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — low music

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