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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 124 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. club — a group
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. club — for golf
  9. rest — a break
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bore — to tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stem — to come from

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