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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. object — to protest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. shower — rain
  18. object — a thing
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. object — an aim
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bowl — a football final

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