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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wound — an injury
  9. court — of law
  10. pop — music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. court — of a king
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bear — the animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pop — soda
  24. wave — with your hand

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