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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bound — tied together
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ground — crushed
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bound — obliged
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — a trail
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ground — a position
  20. season — in sport
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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