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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 120 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: key · spring · leaves · firm · fine · bark · bay · branch

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — for a lock
  7. firm — steady
  8. bark — to shout
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fine — high quality
  14. spring — of water
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. key — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. firm — a company
  24. fine — all right

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