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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ground — crushed
  8. club — for golf
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ground — a position
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bulb — of a plant

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