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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: bank · suit · branch · cabinet · scale · hide · bark · pitcher

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. branch — a division
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — in music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bank — of a river
  24. scale — size or range

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