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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. present — a gift
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. present — the time now
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stock — goods
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bulb — for light
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pound — a weight
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. present — there
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. foot — part of the body

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