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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wake — a trail
  10. drill — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. drill — army training

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