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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pop — music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. staff — employees
  10. ball — a dance
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pop — soda
  15. fall — to drop
  16. roll — a list
  17. fall — the season
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bore — gave birth

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