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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — a weight
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. charge — a price
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. plane — a tool
  19. content — the amount
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — electricity
  22. content — happy
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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