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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bark — to shout
  3. scale — in music
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cue — a hint
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. row — to paddle
  20. cue — for pool
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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