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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bound — certain
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bark — to shout

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