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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. root — the cause
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. object — an aim
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cell — in biology
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. root — of a word
  18. mug — to rob
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — to protest
  23. bark — to shout
  24. object — a thing

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