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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: bark · bowl · prune · mark · bear · pit · mug · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bark — to shout
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bear — to put up with

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