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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rash — a series
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rush — a thrill

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