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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bat — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. tube — a container
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tube — in a tire

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