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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — of a river
  5. court — of a king
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. court — for sport
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ground — a position
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. court — of law
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bear — the animal

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