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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 · bark · bound · bank · lie · bay · tear · roll

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. tear — from crying
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. roll — a list
  11. bark — to shout
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bound — obliged
  18. branch — a division
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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