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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rock — a stone
  3. club — a group
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rock — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — a face
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. club — for golf
  19. rash — a series
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lie — an untruth

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