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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bound — certain
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitch — completely
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — obliged
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lean — thin
  19. pop — to visit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bark — to shout
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pass — a permit

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