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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.

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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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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bound — tied together
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bound — certain
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pop — music
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. snap — to click
  12. bound — obliged
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pop — soda
  15. squash — the sport
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bark — to shout
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. calf — of the leg

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