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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bark — to shout
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — bread
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rule — a law
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rule — government
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. scale — in music
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — a young animal

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