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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. hand — help
  3. date — the fruit
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — in control
  6. hand — in cards
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. charge — a price
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. roll — a list
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rock — music
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. roll — a cake
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bark — to shout

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