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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. perch — the fish
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cap — of ice
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cap — a lid
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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