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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ball — a dance
  8. spring — a coil
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — a price
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. charge — in control
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spring — of water
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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