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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 124 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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. wake — before a funeral
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — completely
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bark — to shout
  14. wake — a trail
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. drill — army training
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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