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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. tear — to rip
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — size or range
  12. tear — from crying
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. scale — in music
  15. firm — decided
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. firm — a company
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tear — from crying
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. firm — steady

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