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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spell — letters
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. row — to paddle
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — clothes
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a dance
  19. row — a line
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spell — magic
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — a short time

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