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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 don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mug — a face
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fine — all right
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. snap — to click
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mug — to rob
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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