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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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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bore — to tire
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bound — certain
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. present — a gift
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bark — to shout
  16. present — the time now
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — there
  24. degree — from a university

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