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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pit — a hole
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. file — a document
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — a line
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. row — to paddle

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