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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. row — to paddle
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. row — a line
  17. rush — hurry
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wound — an injury

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