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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. swing — music
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. pit — in a race
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. staff — employees
  9. root — the cause
  10. swing — in golf
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. vault — a safe
  13. root — of a plant
  14. staff — employees
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — a stick
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bark — to shout
  24. arm — part of the body

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