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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — government
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — a law
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. root — of a word
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. lie — to recline
  24. object — a thing

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