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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pop — to visit
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bark — to shout

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