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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pop — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — soda
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pop — to visit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. tube — a container
  17. bark — to shout
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. snap — to click

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