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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. hand — help
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. snap — to click
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bore — to tire

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