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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. track — a song
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rock — a stone
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rock — music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pass — to spend time

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