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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. row — a line
  7. root — of a word
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bound — certain
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. court — for sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — of law
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. root — the cause

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