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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rock — a stone
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. calf — a young animal

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