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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cue — a hint
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cue — a signal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — a division
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cold — an illness
  24. fine — high quality

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