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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — a face
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kick — in football
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bark — to shout
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. tube — a container
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — the underground
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. dip — to sink

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