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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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