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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mark — a grade
  5. object — an aim
  6. tube — a container
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. staff — employees
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — a thing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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