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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ground — a position
  3. squash — the sport
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pop — soda
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pop — music
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ground — the earth

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