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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. suit — to fit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. scale — in music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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