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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. dip — to sink
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bound — certain
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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