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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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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: bark · rash · club · deal · plane · branch · present · staff

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. staff — employees
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. staff — a stick
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. deal — to handle
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. branch — a division
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rash — a series

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