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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. present — there
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — a gift
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. present — the time now
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wind — moving air

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