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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. swing — music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fine — all right
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — a division
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ball — a great time

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