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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 116 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rest — a break
  7. net — in sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bore — to drill
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. net — after costs
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. net — for catching

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