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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bark — to shout
  3. present — there
  4. object — a thing
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. present — the time now
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. scale — in music
  13. fine — all right
  14. sharp — clever
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. present — a gift
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fine — high quality
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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