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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. root — the cause
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. squash — to crush
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitch — completely
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bark — to shout
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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