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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. present — the time now
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. present — a gift
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pass — a permit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. face — part of the head
  17. drill — army training
  18. bound — certain
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. present — there
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bark — to shout

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