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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — the tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — thin
  10. cap — a lid
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — in golf
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cap — of ice
  18. swing — to play on
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bark — to shout
  22. swing — music
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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