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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pop — soda
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — to confront
  9. pop — to visit
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lean — to bend
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pop — music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lean — thin
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. face — to point toward

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