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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. track — a path
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bark — to shout
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — a song
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bound — tied together
  13. track — to keep track
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — certain
  20. stand — to bear
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. date — the fruit
  23. row — a line
  24. date — on the calendar

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