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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. rock — a stone
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rest — a break
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — to sink
  11. charge — a price
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — music
  22. season — in sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — to dunk

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