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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. net — after costs
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. object — a thing
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. object — an aim
  10. net — in sport
  11. bore — to drill
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. object — to protest
  19. pound — a weight
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. sharp — clever

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