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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — steady
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. drill — army training
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — a practice
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bore — to tire

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