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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. land — to come down
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — low music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bass — the fish
  14. land — a country
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — ground
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. bark — to shout
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mug — a cup
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — electricity

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