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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. snap — to click
  3. branch — a division
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wound — an injury
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. key — in music
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — to handle
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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