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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rule — a law
  6. bark — to shout
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. rule — government
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rule — to rule out

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