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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. hand — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bark — to shout
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. spring — of water
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. spring — the season
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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