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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 120 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. last — to go on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — in a race
  11. last — finally
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. last — final
  17. mug — a face
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pop — music
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pop — soda
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ruler — a monarch

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