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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bank — for money
  3. pop — soda
  4. branch — a division
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bank — for money
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pop — music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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