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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. net — for catching
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. net — in sport
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chest — of your body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tear — from crying
  20. chest — of your body
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bark — to shout

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