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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.

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: bowl · present · rule · mug · pitcher · kick · ground · bark

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mug — a face
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mug — a cup
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. present — a gift
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rule — a law
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rule — government
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ground — a position
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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