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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. key — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. race — humankind
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. net — for catching
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — a contest
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. net — in sport

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