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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cell — a phone
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fall — the season
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lean — thin
  24. date — on the calendar

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