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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — clever
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a word
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. root — the cause
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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