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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bank — of a river
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bark — to shout
  10. charge — electricity
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. row — a line
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bank — for money
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. charge — in control

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