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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rest — a break
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. dip — to sink
  5. current — happening now
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — of water
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. suit — in cards
  12. current — electric
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — the fish
  24. hide — to keep secret

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