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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. scale — in music
  5. kick — in football
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. squash — to crush
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. squash — the 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