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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — in control
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. key — in music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. date — the fruit
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. scale — in music

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