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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. game — a match
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ground — a position
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ground — the earth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — to handle
  24. game — wild animals

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