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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bound — certain
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bass — low 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