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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bear — the animal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. game — a match

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