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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bark — to shout
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ball — a dance
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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