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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. craft — boats
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. swing — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — to shout
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. suit — to fit
  20. object — to protest
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. object — a thing
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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