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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bark — to shout
  5. swing — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. squash — the sport
  10. swing — in golf
  11. squash — to crush
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rest — a break

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