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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rule — a law
  9. craft — boats
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. field — a subject
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rule — government
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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