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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. row — a line
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. current — happening now
  18. bark — to shout
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. content — happy
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bark — of a tree

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