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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. content — happy
  9. bark — to shout
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — the amount
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spring — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. spring — of water
  24. content — videos and posts

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