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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. staff — a stick
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. shower — rain
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. shower — to wash
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. staff — employees

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