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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bark — to shout
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bound — tied together
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — of water
  15. mug — a face
  16. bound — certain
  17. current — electric
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — happening now
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bark — 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