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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — a position
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ground — crushed
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ground — the earth
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mug — a face
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. suit — to fit

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