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

Word bank: stick · tube · bark · deal · temple · bowl · swing · bore

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bark — to shout
  3. swing — music
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. swing — in golf
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to drill
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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