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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. shower — to wash
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ground — a position
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bark — to shout
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — the earth
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. mug — to rob

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