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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pitch — completely
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitcher — a jug

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