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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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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. foot — a measure
  3. charge — in control
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. game — a match
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. key — in music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. key — for a lock
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. game — wild animals

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