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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rash — hasty
  3. object — to protest
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bark — to shout
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mug — a face
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stem — to come from
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mug — to rob

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