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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.

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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: bowl · bark · hide · deal · prune · sharp · staff · squash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. sharp — clever
  6. squash — the sport
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. prune — to trim
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. staff — employees
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. staff — a stick
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. deal — an agreement

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