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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ground — the earth
  5. drill — the tool
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lean — thin
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. drill — army training
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bear — the animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. ground — a position
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mouse — the animal

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