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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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mug — to rob
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a hat
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cap — of ice
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — a face

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