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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — a break
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — in music
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. scale — size or range

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