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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. season — in sport
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. squash — the sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. squash — to crush
  13. foot — a measure
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. degree — temperature

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