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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bound — certain
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bank — for money
  11. wake — a trail
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. toast — bread
  18. bark — to shout
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. arm — a part of something

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