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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hand — help
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — completely
  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