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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. march — music
  5. kick — in football
  6. dip — to sink
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — a trace
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. march — the month
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — a grade
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. firm — decided

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