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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a great time
  7. squash — the sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. current — of water
  10. toast — bread
  11. current — happening now
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. net — after costs
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. squash — to crush
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. current — electric
  20. pit — in a race
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. net — in sport
  24. bore — to tire

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