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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. net — in sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. net — after costs
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rule — a law
  11. net — for catching
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — government
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lean — to bend
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — thin
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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