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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rule — government
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pop — music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mug — a face
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — army training
  14. fork — in a road
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pop — soda
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rule — a law
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mug — to rob
  24. can — a tin

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