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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. object — a thing
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — to protest
  14. mate — a friend
  15. object — an aim
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mate — a partner
  22. row — a line
  23. squash — to crush
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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