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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. season — in sport
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. branch — a division
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. season — of the year
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. object — an aim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. season — to add flavour

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