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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. object — to protest
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — an aim
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — a trail
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rash — a series
  15. object — a thing
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rest — a break
  24. saw — the tool

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