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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bat — the animal
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. march — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. net — in sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. net — after costs
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bark — to shout
  20. prune — to trim
  21. net — for catching
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  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