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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. charge — a price
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. degree — an amount
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. degree — from a university
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. charge — in control
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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