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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. lean — to bend
  3. shower — rain
  4. toast — bread
  5. band — a ring
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. shower — to wash
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. rock — music
  23. lean — thin
  24. band — a music group

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