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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. deal — to handle
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wake — a trail
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. snap — to click
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. roll — a cake
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. deal — a big deal

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