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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 120 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lie — to recline
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bark — to shout
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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