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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rest — a break
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. deal — to handle
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. row — a line
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. toast — bread
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lean — thin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rest — what's left

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