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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. branch — a division
  12. degree — an amount
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. current — happening now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. degree — from a university
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pound — a weight

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