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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — a partner
  9. can — a tin
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — music
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. game — a match
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mate — a friend

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