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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 120 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bank — of a river
  7. key — in music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. row — a line
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bass — low music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. key — the most important part

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