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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — of law
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — for sport
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. court — of a king
  21. cap — a hat
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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