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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. track — a song
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fall — the season
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bark — to shout
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. degree — from a university
  21. track — a path
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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