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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · branch · bear · bark · firm · wind · board · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wind — moving air
  3. firm — decided
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — to get on
  8. firm — steady
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mug — to rob
  14. firm — a company
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mug — a face
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. branch — a division
  23. bear — the animal
  24. game — a match

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