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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — child
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chest — a box
  21. bark — to shout
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mouse — the animal

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