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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. season — of the year
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. current — happening now
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. saw — the tool
  18. current — electric
  19. season — in sport
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. current — of water

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