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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bound — obliged
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. present — there
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. present — the time now
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — to shout
  10. spell — magic
  11. bound — certain
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. face — to confront
  14. spell — letters
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. present — a gift
  17. hand — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bound — tied together
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hand — help
  24. temple — side of the head

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