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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. staff — employees
  7. pound — a weight
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — to shout
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pound — to hit hard

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