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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. kick — in football
  6. band — a music group
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pound — a weight
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bark — to shout
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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