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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bound — certain
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — a break
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bore — to tire
  23. shower — to wash
  24. dip — to dunk

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