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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. suit — to fit
  3. drill — the tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. drill — a practice
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — for paper
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. drill — army training
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. clip — to cut
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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