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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rock — music
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rash — hasty

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