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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rule — government
  5. content — happy
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rule — a law
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. snap — to click
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. content — the amount
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. safe — out of danger

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