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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. suit — in cards
  9. scale — in music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mug — a face
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — for digging
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mug — a cup

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