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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. snap — to click
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. content — happy
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. bark — to shout
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. club — a group

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