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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pop — music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stock — goods
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stock — shares

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