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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ball — a dance
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ground — the earth
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — a position
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lie — to recline
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ground — crushed

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