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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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. stock — goods
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stock — shares
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — the time now
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. present — a gift
  14. plane — a tool
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — there
  17. row — to paddle
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. charge — in control
  22. row — a line
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bowl — a dish

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