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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — happening now
  4. tube — a container
  5. present — the time now
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. present — there
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — all right
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fine — high quality
  20. current — electric
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — of water
  23. squash — the sport
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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