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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stock — goods
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. scale — size or range
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to confront
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. scale — in music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stock — shares

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