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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bark — to shout
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. fine — all right
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — to rob
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rash — a series
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a cup
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mug — a face
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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