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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.

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: bark · club · cabinet · cap · rock · content · bore · fine

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. content — happy
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cap — a lid
  8. club — a group
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — the amount
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. club — for golf
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fine — all right

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