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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. march — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. march — the month
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lean — thin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fine — all right
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. march — the month
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hide — to keep secret

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