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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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468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. object — a thing
  13. vault — a safe
  14. object — an aim
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — to protest

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