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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. drill — army training
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pop — soda
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rest — a break
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rest — what's left

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