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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — music
  24. pitcher — a jug

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