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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. face — to point toward
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. squash — to crush
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to confront
  8. rush — hurry
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — the season
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bark — to shout
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fall — to drop
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — a thrill

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