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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 120 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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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: game · mark · cabinet · bark · hide · bore · saw · temple

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bark — to shout
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mark — a trace
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a grade
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. game — a match
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bore — to tire
  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