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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bound — certain
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bowl — to roll

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