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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. object — a thing
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mate — a partner
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. object — to protest
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. roll — a list
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. rock — music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. roll — a cake
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. object — an aim
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rock — to move gently

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