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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bark — to shout
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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