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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. can — a tin
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. branch — a division
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. drill — army training
  24. lie — to recline

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