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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kid — child
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ball — a great time
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pit — in a race
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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