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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ball — a great time
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. pop — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pop — soda
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bark — to shout
  20. current — of water
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bark — of a tree

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