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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mate — to breed
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. mug — to rob
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. court — of law
  13. court — of a king
  14. field — farmland
  15. mate — a partner
  16. court — for sport
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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