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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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 football final
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bark — to shout
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a music group
  22. kid — to tease
  23. band — a ring
  24. bank — of a river

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