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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. roll — a list
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. spring — a coil
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — a division
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. spring — of water
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. fine — all right
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. spring — the season

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