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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. season — of the year
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — a price
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. swing — music
  22. charge — in control
  23. bore — to drill
  24. season — in sport

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