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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rock — music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rock — a stone
  6. march — the month
  7. scale — in music
  8. march — the month
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pound — a weight
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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