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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rest — a break
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hand — help
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. drill — army training
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — what's left

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