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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. charge — in control
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. row — to paddle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. row — a line
  20. band — a ring
  21. bark — to shout
  22. charge — a price
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. band — a music group

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