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

Word bank: bark · rule · branch · cue · perch · prune · bay · drill

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. prune — to trim
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. branch — a division
  15. cue — for pool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — army training
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. prune — to trim

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