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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. mark — a trace
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rule — a law
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. degree — temperature
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. degree — from a university
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — a grade
  17. suit — clothes
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rule — government
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. degree — an amount

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