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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 dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bound — obliged
  3. club — a group
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. net — after costs
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. net — for catching
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — low music
  16. bound — certain
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. net — in sport
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ruler — for measuring

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