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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rock — a stone
  5. root — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. root — the cause
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. chip — to eat
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. pound — a weight
  17. scale — size or range
  18. roll — a list
  19. scale — in music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. root — of a word
  24. rock — music

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