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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.

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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — child
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — electric
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — happening now
  24. kid — to tease

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