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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · object · tear · row · branch · ball · bark · bank

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. row — to paddle
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. season — in sport
  9. object — an aim
  10. tear — from crying
  11. row — a line
  12. object — to protest
  13. branch — a division
  14. season — of the year
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. object — a thing
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bank — for money

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