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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bound — obliged
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — to handle
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pit — a hole
  24. perch — the fish

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