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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bark — to shout
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fall — the season
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — in cards

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