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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bound — certain
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bound — obliged
  15. drill — army training
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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