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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ground — the earth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. rule — a law
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. drill — a practice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. squash — to crush
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rock — music

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