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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: sharp · stick · rash · mouse · hide · bore · bark · season

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. season — in sport
  11. sharp — clever
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. season — of the year
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. sharp — with an edge

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