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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. mug — a face
  14. lie — to recline
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bass — low music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bark — to shout
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wave — with your hand

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