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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bark — to shout
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a list
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. charge — a price
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — in control
  18. ball — a great time
  19. squash — the sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. ball — a dance

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