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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. present — a gift
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — there
  6. bark — to shout
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. row — a line
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mate — a friend
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mine — for digging
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — the time now
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mate — a partner
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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