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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. drill — a practice
  8. charge — in control
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. drill — army training
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. spell — magic
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fork — to eat with

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