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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pop — music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pop — soda
  22. cue — a signal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. dip — to sink

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