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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · hide · bowl · bark · staff · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. drill — army training
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. staff — employees
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — a stick

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