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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. spring — a coil
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tear — from crying
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — of water
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. spring — the season
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fine — all right
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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