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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. land — to come down
  9. present — the time now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. present — there
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bark — to shout
  16. present — a gift
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. land — a country
  22. cap — of ice
  23. land — ground
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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