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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. present — the time now
  7. bark — to shout
  8. track — a song
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — to eat
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bowl — a football final

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