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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stock — shares
  3. bore — to drill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stock — goods
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a round shape

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