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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: branch · foot · firm · wound · net · suit · bark · mate

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — steady
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. firm — decided
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bark — to shout
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mate — a partner
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. foot — a measure
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. wound — an injury

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