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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. season — of the year
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. season — in sport
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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