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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. track — to keep track
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a path
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. track — a song
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. craft — boats

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