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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — to shout
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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