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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bat · mouse · bay · game · bear · current · bark · object

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. object — to protest
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. current — electric
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. current — happening now
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — a match
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. object — an aim

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