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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. lean — thin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lie — to recline
  12. root — of a word
  13. court — for sport
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. court — of law
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. root — the cause
  22. court — of a king
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. calf — a young animal

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