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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bark — to shout
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bat — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. track — a song
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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