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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. field — farmland
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. field — for sport
  17. pop — soda
  18. present — the time now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — a gift
  21. kid — to tease
  22. field — a subject
  23. present — there
  24. kid — child

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