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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.

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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: rock · bear · bowl · bark · pop · net · rule · saw

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rock — music
  5. rule — government
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. net — after costs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. net — in sport
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rule — a law
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pop — music

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