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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. tube — a container
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bark — to shout
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. patient — a sick person

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