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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. scale — in music
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ball — a dance
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stock — shares
  12. mate — a partner
  13. present — there
  14. face — to confront
  15. stock — goods
  16. face — part of the head
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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