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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spell — letters
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spell — magic
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — the animal

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