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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. snap — to click
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pit — a hole
  9. suit — clothes
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — to shout
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fan — to cool the air

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