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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. swing — music
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. kid — child
  10. cell — in biology
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rush — to hurry

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