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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. field — farmland
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — low music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — to bend
  18. field — a subject
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lie — to recline
  22. field — for sport
  23. lean — thin
  24. bear — to put up with

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