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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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 — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bark — to shout
  7. race — humankind
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. net — after costs
  10. swing — in golf
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. net — in sport
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — a contest
  18. toast — bread
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. swing — music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. toast — the most admired
  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