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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rule — government
  11. pit — a hole
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. row — to paddle
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rule — a law

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