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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — a law
  9. craft — boats
  10. rule — government
  11. rash — a series
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pound — a weight
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rash — hasty
  24. charge — a price

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