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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: mate · bear · leaves · spell · drill · tear · bark · cabinet

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. spell — letters
  4. bark — to shout
  5. drill — a practice
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. drill — army training
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bear — the animal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mate — a friend
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mate — a partner
  24. spell — magic

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