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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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468
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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. degree — an amount
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. degree — temperature
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bark — to shout
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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