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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. drill — the tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. present — there
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. plane — a tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. pit — in a race
  24. present — a gift

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