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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 · calf · mug · firm · bark · pop · wind · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. branch — a division
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pop — soda
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mug — a face
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. firm — steady
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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