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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bark — to shout
  5. present — the time now
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. present — there
  12. staff — employees
  13. rash — a series
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. present — a gift
  16. land — to come down
  17. staff — a stick
  18. land — ground
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. drill — army training
  22. land — a country
  23. object — to protest
  24. rash — hasty

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