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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. roll — a cake
  7. staff — employees
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bark — to shout
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. charge — in control
  15. chair — a leader
  16. tear — from crying
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. charge — a price
  24. tear — to rip

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