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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. shower — rain
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mark — a trace

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