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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. suit — clothes
  9. dip — to sink
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fall — the season
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fork — in a road
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rock — to move gently

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