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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. drill — a practice
  3. root — of a plant
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fall — the season
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. drill — army training
  9. root — of a word
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stock — shares
  12. fall — to drop
  13. clip — a video
  14. root — the cause
  15. stock — goods
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. squash — the sport

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