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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chair — a leader

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