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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. key — for a lock
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — hurry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — in music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. present — a gift

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