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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: toast · bear · roll · drill · race · perch · bark · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. foot — a measure
  19. race — a contest
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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