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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. chest — a box
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chest — of your body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chest — of your body
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — after costs
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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