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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mug — a face
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — government
  11. land — to come down
  12. mug — to rob
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bass — low music
  15. land — ground
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. land — a country
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bass — the fish

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